A computer program listing appendix containing the source code of a computer program that may be used with the present invention is incorporated herein by reference and appended hereto as one (1) original compact disk, and an identical copy thereof, containing a total of 327 files as follows:
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telecommunications switches. More particularly, the invention relates to a computer program and method for automatically setting up call routing in a telecommunications switch serving a metropolitan statistical area.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Telecommunications companies are beginning to offer broadband home and business communications systems that integrate a number of communications services. For example, Sprint Communications Company, L.P. has recently introduced its ION broadband communications service that carries voice, data, and video over one connection. The service permits subscribers to make telephone calls, send and receive faxes, and use the Internet simultaneously.
To integrate voice and data over the same connection, broadband services require the use of voice-over-IP (Internet protocol) local routing switches for the voice component of the services. Two examples of voice-over-IP local routing switches are the GTE Service Manager Switch and the Telcordia Service Gateway Service Manager Switch.
Voice-over-IP local routing switches typically support a number of data tables that include customer information, routing data, and network architecture information. One such table, commonly referred to as a Digit Translator table, includes information used to group sets of phone number digits together that should be routed and charged the same. Another, commonly referred to as a Group Translator table, includes information used for routing and charging calls based on the grouping of digits in the Digit Translator table. The information in the Group Translator table matches attributes of the caller (such as geographic area and originating service) to determine whether to complete a call and, if so, to what destination.
Because of cost and infrastructure constraints, broadband communications services are currently being provided only to cities or regions having populations of 50,000 or more, commonly referred to as metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). Each time broadband communications services are to be provided to a new MSA, one or more voice-over-IP local routing switches must be set up with core call routing for the MSA. Core call routing determines, among other things, how calls are routed between originating numbers and terminating numbers and whether calls are billed as local calls or long distance calls. All call routing is based upon the area where a call originates and requires an accurate call routing scheme in order to terminate the call correctly.
Establishing core call routing for an MSA is a complex process requiring a review of that MSA""s area codes (commonly referred to as NPAs), the first three digits of all telephone numbers for the area (commonly called NXXs), 7-digit versus 10-digit dialing patterns between NPAs (such as 816 versus 913 area code dialing patterns in the Kansas City MSA), trunk groups and terminating end offices, and files which are used to differentiate local calls from long distance calls. Two of the most time-consuming tasks in setting up core call routing are creating the Digit and Group Translator tables referenced above.
Currently, telecommunications companies generate all call routing for voice-over-IP switches manually. This is very labor-intensive, especially for larger MSAs. For an average MSA, communications companies can spend up to 8 weeks generating all necessary call routing data. Creation of the Digit Translator and Group Translator tables for the New York MSA required a Sprint translations department to assemble and review 184,000 rows of call routing information to build the appropriate call routing, taking over eight weeks to complete.
The complexity and singularity of an MSA""s local call routing eliminates the possibility of creating call routing data that can be copied from an existing MSA and used for a new MSA. This inability to reuse call routing data between voice-over-IP switches means that the approximate 8 week manual process of creating call routing must be performed every time a new voice-over-IP switch is set up or a new MSA is added to an existing switch.
The demand for broadband communications services is expected to grow rapidly. For example, current projections show that Sprint""s ION customer base will increase over 100 fold and coverage will increase from just several MSAs to the top 100 MSAs nationwide within a year. However, a telecommunications company""s ability to expand broadband services to more customers is dependent upon its ability to quickly set up, load, and maintain call routing information on voice-over-IP switches. Thus, establishing call routing manually as described above is a real obstacle to broadband service growth.
The present invention solves the above-described problems and provides a distinct advance in the art of telecommunications switches. More particularly, the present invention dramatically reduces the time required to create call routing data for a new voice-over-IP switch or for a new MSA added to an existing switch.
One embodiment of the present invention is implemented with a computer program that automatically creates call routing data files for setting up call routing in a new telecommunications switch or for adding a new MSA to an existing switch. The computer program broadly comprises a code segment for receiving NPAs and NXXs for an area such as an MSA; a code segment for receiving information differentiating local calls from long distance calls for at least some of the NPAs and the NXXs in the area; and a code segment for analyzing the NPAs, the NXXs, and the information differentiating local calls from long distance calls and for automatically creating the majority of the call routing for calls originating in the area. The call routing that may be created with the present invention includes, for example, functionality for differentiating local calls from long distance calls, functionality for differentiating interLATA from intraLATA calls, functionality for handling calls to information numbers, functionality for determining 1+ dialing for 500 numbers and toll-free numbers (800, 888, 877, etc.), functionality for handling international calling, and functionality for calls related to telephone repair.
The computer program of the present invention can be used to create Digit Translator and Group Translator tables for a new MSA in minutes rather than the 8 week time period required for manual methods. The present invention allows new voice-over-IP switches to be put into production and new MSAs added to existing switches in a fraction of the time required by manual methods, removing one of the major obstacles to increasing broadband service coverage and freeing up resources for other call routing and support duties.
These and other important aspects of the present invention are described more fully in the detailed description below.